With the Hadith
"Chapter on What Was Said About the Just Imam"
We greet you all, dear listeners everywhere, in a new episode of your program "With the Hadith" and we begin with the best greeting, so peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
It is mentioned in Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi, in the explanation of Jami` al-Tirmidhi "with modification" in "Chapter on What Was Said About the Just Imam"
Ali ibn al-Mundhir al-Kufi narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from Fudayl ibn Marzuq, from Atiyyah, from Abi Saeed, who said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: "Indeed, the most beloved of people to God on the Day of Resurrection and the closest of them to Him in sitting, is a just imam. And the most hateful of people to God and the furthest of them from Him in sitting, is an unjust imam."
His saying: (Indeed, the most beloved of people) i.e., the most loved, as Al-Qari said. Al-Manawi said: i.e., the most fortunate with His love. (and the closest of them) i.e., the nearest (to Him in sitting) i.e., in status and rank, as Al-Qari said. Al-Manawi said: i.e., the closest to the place of His honor and the highest in rank with Him. (unjust imam) i.e., a tyrant.
Dear listeners:
It is narrated from al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymirah, who said: "Indeed, your time is your ruler. If your ruler is righteous, your time will be righteous. And if your ruler is corrupt, your time will be corrupt." It is narrated that when the Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz assumed the caliphate, he sent to al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Basri asking him about the attributes of the just imam. Al-Basri wrote: Know, O Commander of the Believers, that God has made the just imam the support of every inclined person, the straightener of every tyrant, the reformer of every corrupt person, the strength of every weak person, the equalizer of every oppressed person, and the refuge of every distressed person... The just imam, O Commander of the Believers, is like a compassionate shepherd to his camels, and the decisive companion who seeks out the best pastures for them, defends them from the sites of destruction, protects them from predators, and shields them from the harm of heat and damage. The just imam, O Commander of the Believers, is like a compassionate, righteous, and gentle mother to her child. She bore him unwillingly, gave birth to him unwillingly, and raised him as a child. She stays up for his wakefulness and rests for his rest. She nurses him at times and weans him at others. She rejoices in his well-being and grieves at his complaint.
O Muslims: Where are these qualities in your rulers? Do you not see what you are in? At first, we saw our rulers as negligent, then we began to see them as traitors, and now today we see that they have combined immorality, disbelief, and wickedness from all sides. The images have silenced our tongues in describing them, and the words of Arabic no longer suffice to express their vileness and immorality towards their nation. We no longer talk about their justice or lack thereof, so what will their status be before God on the Day of Resurrection? We ask God for forgiveness and well-being.
Dear listeners, until we meet you with another prophetic hadith, we leave you in God's care, and peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
